What would happen?

[The Scarlet Pimpernel]

Depends on the circumstances:

But we had everything in place this summer to get promoted this season. We have a very good group of players who fit a 4-3-3 formation perfectly, with each player benefiting from the team.

Assuming Ince was always going to sign, we had:

Grant, Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Thorne, Hughes, Bryson, Russell, Ince, Martin as arguably our best XI. We also had Dawkins, Shotton, Hendrick as backups who also fit a role easily enough.

So on that, our recruitment team and whoever is invovled in that needed to do just a few simple things. Identify a manager and players who can come in and improve that team above.

Let's not beat around the bush here. That team above was for large parts of last season in the automatic promotion places and that's despite McClaren arguably hindering them by playing a more controlled style of play.

So Clement came in. With his experience at RM and Carlo Ancelotti favouring a 4-3-3 during their best season in years (2013/14), I assumed he would look at our squad, identify what we have and improve it.

So in comes Carson (GK), Baird (RB and DM), Shackell (CB), Alex Pearce (CB) and Ince (RW). Players who all fitted the system, players who made our 4-3-3 first-team XI better.

Now, Weimann and Bent both sign. (Why???) - Ok perhaps Weimann can play at LW, but Bent just doesn't fit the system. He can't play CF on his own, he just can't! 

First rule of recruitment. Buy players who fit your system, regardless of whether they appear good players / signings. If they don't fit your system, don't buy them! Hull City play a flat 4-4-2, hence why Ince was never favoured there.

It's the same principle, though in Hull's case they got incredibly lucky we took Ince on loan and they ultimately made a profit on him. We're stuck with Bent, a player who just doesn't fit.

Ok, so after it was clearly evident that the 4-3-3 works and we have the players for it, why did Clement change it? To shoehorn Weimann and Bent in the side? Poor idea, as now our better players are hindered in such a system.

Also, why haven't we brought in a Martin backup. This was the most logical decision, because even if we got back to 4-3-3 as of tomorrow, if Martin gets injured we're f##ked again like last season.

Recruitment team - What are you playing at? Seriously, how is something so obvious going over your head? Oh, because the diamond is our alternative.... It won't work, I'm categorically telling you that now, we don't have the players for it.

So who is at fault? Whoever decided to change it. Whoever decided to create this mythical 'Plan B'. You don't need a Plan B. Just improve Plan A, it's simple, especially after getting us so close.

Also, are we still lacking a left winger? I'd say so, another fault of recruitment team up until now. If Thorne gets injured, is Baird really the best DM alternative? Erm, probably not!

I'm sorry to come across so negatively, but I think we've f##cked up big time this summer and our only hope of getting promoted is going back to 4-3-3 and praying Martin/Thorne don't get injured and Weimann/Russell can do a job at LW.

Also, I'm confident of a midfield trio of Thorne, Dawkins and Hendrick. I think it has great balance and given a shot it has all the potential to be good enough for where we want to go in the absence of Hughes/Bryson.

Agree with all of that, even the bit about the balanced trio of Thorne Hendrick & Dawkins, but for that trio to work Hendrick & Dawkins have to turn up mentally. I feel they take part rather than take responsibility. Its not enough to play for Derby County they have to have the desire to win for Derby County. It's up to Paul Clement to earn his money I guess.